


Across the Hall (2014)

by Renegade_Angels



Series: Abandoned/Discontinued stuff [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Architects, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 13:59:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8982844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renegade_Angels/pseuds/Renegade_Angels
Summary: AU where Steve was an architect and Bucky was a lawyer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't write for Marvel any more, but if anyone wants to take this and run for it, feel free. ((Credit me, though, as either Renegade_Angels or frankiesin for ao3))

Steve’s already late to the meeting when he first sees him. Steve doesn’t know the man’s name yet, and he really shouldn’t have introduced himself in the first place. Tony had told Steve that if he was ever late to a meeting again, Tony would rig Steve’s apartment to collapse internally on him. Steve really did not need to die, not when he was about to get the job of a lifetime.

The job: revamp an old office building to make it look like a boss-ass bitchin’ law firm office.

The client: Natasha Romanoff, AKA the baddest, most effective name partner of the baddest, most efficient law firm in all of New York. Not just the city; the whole state.

The operatives (Tony’s word, not Steve’s): one engineering/architectural business, Stark and Rogers Co., run by a thrill-seeking genius with too much free time (Tony) and one overly compassionate and artistically-inclined architect (Steve).

There was a reason for Tony’s death threat, Steve had to admit that. Romanoff was high on the worldly food chain; she wouldn’t wait around for Steve to show his face in Tony’s apartment. They had all their meetings in Tony’s apartment because Tony was horrible at remembering to go anywhere unless it was for an already in creation project. Pepper, Tony’s assistant, had been a godsend. Steve needs to send her flowers.

But back to the man that made Steve almost screw his and Tony’s lives over. There was a moving van sitting at the front of the building, and a quick glance inside told Steve that whoever was moving in was at or above the level of extravagance that Tony enjoyed on a daily basis.

Steve didn’t know that the man wasn’t a privileged kid until he saw the man pulling his suede couch up the stairs. The man wasn’t struggling exactly, but dragging a couch isn’t easy, not even for those who were lucky enough to be made of pure muscle. The man was about a floor and a half up when Steve caught up with him (Steve always took the stairs on principal), and he was blocking the stairwell.

Steve would have offered to help him either way; his blocking of the stairs would just be a better excuse for Tony later.

“Hey, you want some help?” Steve called up to him. The man’s head shot up, and his long brown hair parted around his face. His face was serious, a bit annoyed for a moment, but then he cocked an eyebrow and one side of his mouth quirked up in a sort of grin. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah.” Steve said. “Yeah, I am.”

“Then stop staring and grab the damn couch.” The man had such an easy smile. Steve was caught immediately. Whoever this man was, Steve wanted to know him. He just seemed… interesting.

Steve grabbed the other end of the couch, and together the two men dragged the piece of furniture up three more floors, to the same floor that Tony’s apartment was on. Steve didn’t comment on the coincidence, too focused on not dropping the man’s couch.

“You live here?” The man asked.

“No, but my business partner does.” Steve said. “I’m here to meet with him and a client, actually… I should probably let him know that I’m helping a complete stranger to move into his building before he assumes the worst.”

“Yeah, I guess you should.” The man said, his crooked grin back in place. They made it to the apartment across from Tony’s, and the man dropped his end of the couch. He pulled out a key ring and shuffled through it, obviously searching for the right one to open the door. Steve let out a quiet laugh, and the man gave him a look. Steve shook his head. “Nothing, just… my partner’s apartment is right across from yours.”

“Well then I guess I’ll know where to find you.” The man found the right key and unlocked his apartment. He and Steve dragged the couch the rest of the way in, and Steve took in the place. Everything looked new, but kind of retro at the same time. It was like walking through a time machine. Once they placed the couch where the man wanted it, he walked over to Steve and extended his hand. “Thanks. I’m James Barnes, by the way, but everyone calls me Bucky.”

“Bucky.” Steve echoed, a smile tugging at his lips as he said the man’s name. He shook Bucky’s hand. “I’m Steve Rogers. Everyone but my partner calls me Steve. He calls me Cap. I don’t know why.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr @brallencer, if anyone wants to hang out


End file.
